H'burg erupts as riot teams disperse mayhem

The city of Harrisonburg looked like a 1970-era Kent State Saturday night as the sights, sounds, and lung-choking aura of tear-gas grenades were unleashed on unruly young people. On April 10, law enforcement swarmed a massive street party that included some allegedly illegal behavior such as dumpster fires and the tossing of beer bottles at cars, houses, and humans. Dozens were reportedly arrested, as the Port Republic-area party, part of the annual "Springfest" gathering popular with JMU students, reportedly 8,000 strong, was declared an unlawful assembly, according to TV station WHSV and the Daily News-Record.

41 comments

L. Og...so I went out and looked at the pictures...it occurred to me that these "students" are the same people that in a few years will be hired by corporations that will pay them more money than the guy sitting next to them with NO four year degree buts tons more experience and maturity (I am referring to the finger toting girl with her back to the camera and the guy standing behind the fire). Scary to think this is our future.....

In the pictures there seemed to be quite a few "students" there...While I believe that unnecessary force is used all the time by the police in a lot of situations...I really wish I could have been a fly on the wall with this one to see what REALLY happened.

Whatever April 11th, 2010 | 3:51pm

Dave is right, it looked like the abuse of authority in acting out aggressively against students by the uneducated, resentful, and jealous police that happened at Berkeley. Comparing this to Kent State is just disrespectful to the memory of those fatalities. There is a clear difference between opening fire to kill vs. assaulting the right of free assembly. I tend to believe that the assault on the crowd by police led to the mayhem. If someone throws a bottle, they can be arrested for throwing a bottle, but to inflict disbursal under threat and then use of force is wrong.

dee April 11th, 2010 | 10:23pm

To compare this to Kent State is rather over the top. Now, being a parent, I don't approve of this at all, but Kent State??? Come on!!Kent State was a protest--not a "Spring Fling". Kent State called out the National Guard, was this done in Harrisonburg? I would hate to be a parent paying for my kid to go to college and then they act this way. Parents, time to let your kids pay for their own college. If your kid was involved--tell them starting today--they have to pay their way.

OG. l April 12th, 2010 | 11:58pm

Harrisonburg. Rockingham County. The "Turkey Capital of the WORLD". Until the Avian flue in the 1980's wiped out generations of poultry in the Valley. Naturally occurring bird pandemic or science experiment/business decision? Factory Farms, just sayin...

Gasbag Self Ordained Expert April 12th, 2010 | 9:24am

whome, the one thing your mommy didn't tell you is the fact rules apply in many different ways for different people. Watch the many rules of our modern day society that are broken in this short video, and take notice of who is breaking them.

If you or I attacked and viciously beat a female we would be sitting in jail for 10 years.

ps - this is the only punishment the cop received... any other "civilian" out here in society would have gone to jail without a doubt.

CHICAGO (June 23) - An off-duty Chicago police officer convicted of pummeling a female bartender half his size was sentenced Tuesday to two years probation and anger management classes for the videotaped attack that appeared worldwide on the Internet and cable news channels.

robin April 12th, 2010 | 2:15pm

"Useless brats, the new generation of indoctrinated liberals."

Whauck??!! That's possibly the dumbest inference anybody could make about this incident.

'I don't have an opinion on the JMU "riots" other than that today appears to be a slow news day.'

Word can't correct everything... get learned.

Jimi Hendrix April 11th, 2010 | 4:33pm

If the people that own property tell you to move on and you dont they call the cops. If the cops tell to move on and you dont they MAKE YOU. And if the cops are having to do so to 8000 drunk kids, they need to make sure they do it in such a way that rebellious or resistant riots do not emerge.

Cannot let the animals take over the zoo...

L. Og April 11th, 2010 | 7:47pm

"PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRTYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....!

L. Og April 11th, 2010 | 7:48pm

I meant: party

Jeff D April 11th, 2010 | 6:22pm

Perhaps everyone should leave their political flaming out and face the fact that for many, college is simply a four-year party. (re: I are a cow-leege stoodint)

"Education" might include the ability to understand each other's postings rather than ranting like two-year old children who need a nap.

Chuck Bartowski April 11th, 2010 | 3:59pm

school not schoool

Gasbag Self Ordained Expert April 11th, 2010 | 4:01pm

Mr/Mrs/Miss Whatever, there is only one state in America now....

........... the police state.

Chuck Bartowski April 11th, 2010 | 4:03pm

Ah memories...

Harrisonburg cops are still the jack-booted thugs that I remember from my visits to see JMU friends back when I was an undergrad (eons ago). Looks like they have a little more firepower these days.

Given that this story is about cops, I'm sure you-know-who will be weighing in very soon.

Chuck Bartowski April 11th, 2010 | 4:05pm

Holy Moly! You-know-who weighed in while I was typing that last post!

Bootzilla April 11th, 2010 | 10:11am

OK now tell me what was going on in the High St./ River Road area last night. There were at least 12 gunshots fired off in rapid succession.

Homer April 11th, 2010 | 11:55pm

Beer? Did someone say beer? Mmmmmmm, beeeeeer.

Maybe everyone should just take a chill pill. Then have another beer. Then some donuts.

This is pretty much a non-story but beeeeeeeer. Mmmmmmm.

surly and old April 11th, 2010 | 9:00pm

In view of all the post-posting corrections, may I suggest that you compose your comment in Word (or some other processor) that spell and grammar checks and then copy/paste it into the comment box?
I don't have any opinion on the JMU "riots" other than it appears to be a slow-news day.

HollowBoy April 12th, 2010 | 2:08pm

This event sounds a lot like Easters at UVa, which when the potential for things like this arose, the administration wisely banned it, in the 80s.

Easters was not just UVa or even college students. It would get people of all sorts from all over the East Coast, sailors from the Norfolk naval base area and had grown entirely too large. A disaster waiting to happen.
Sounds like this JMU Springfest is similar.

crozetite April 11th, 2010 | 10:17pm

I think the cops must have been watching "fox" (faux) "news" and thought it was an Obama Rally .Think I saw Bill(i think Ill put my foot in my mouth ) O'Riley and Glen(its not NEWS ITS ENTERTAINMENT) Beck pounding some free beers in the background.

Music Lover April 11th, 2010 | 8:21pm

Oh great - now Charlottesville is going to want to have a riot...and then Crozet.

so sad many people dont hear the lord nomore sins is so great today god is very displeased with human lack of understannding and love for one we all will face him oneday and wont be able to right our wrongs lord forgive me of my sins and shortcoming.

Dave April 11th, 2010 | 12:20pm

Reminds me of Berkeley in the late '60's.

St. Paul April 11th, 2010 | 1:38pm

What does this rambling half-thought by "george steppe": "so sad many people dont hear the lord nomore sins is so great today god is very displeased with human lack of understannding and love for one we all will face him oneday and wont be able to right our wrongs lord forgive me of my sins and shortcoming." have to do with the topic??? It DOES show exactly what is wrong in this country today - lack of education. This rambling, illiterate author doesn't know proper capitalization, grammatical sentance structure, punctuation and for someone who is fearful of God, he doesn't even know enough to capitalize "God". Obviously, he has more than one "shortcoming". Rather than preach to us, go back to school & get your grade schoool diploma, then consider high school!

Hypocrite April 11th, 2010 | 2:21pm

sentEnce

Barbara Nordin April 11th, 2010 | 5:06pm

Like Bootzilla, I'd like to know what the gunshot-sounding noises were at 2:30 this morning. Four shots (or whatever), then a 30-second or so pause, then another 6-8. I was awake and noted the time. Anyone else in the High Street/MJH area here that?

This is horrible, to have a riot in Hburg. I don't know who started it but the fact that ppl get drunk to the point that they lose respect for human being makes me think think that maybe drinking for college kids should be illegal.

I am just loving this!!! Reality TV at its best!!!
What I really hope is that the close ups of the students that answered questions are never used when they go look for a job!! LOL!!!!

justbeinobjective April 12th, 2010 | 8:23pm

Submit to you an 8 min video of "Springfest"....There are so many like this on YouTube, I got my wish! I get to be a fly on the wall and see what REALLY happened....Warning, adult language and content....